Eric sat in the shadowy corner of the tavern, his gaze fixed intently on the medallions that Fintan had bestowed upon him. The weight of their significance left him at a loss, and he found it difficult to shake the disbelief that gnawed at him. Would they truly work as promised? The very thought of using them felt like a gamble with his existence, and Eric was not eager to roll the dice. He tucked the medallions away, their allure failing to assuage the growing concerns in his mind. Instead, he turned his attention to the murmurs of the humans around him, hoping to catch wind of news regarding a ship that might take him away from this dreary locale.
As fate would have it, the chatter around him revealed that a vessel was set to depart for Rabat the following night. Eric felt a flicker of relief; he had the information he needed. Exiting the tavern, his mind was still preoccupied when his gaze fell upon her. She was a girl, a child, and the signs of her abuse were painfully evident. Eric didn't need to rely on his vampire senses to understand her plight; he recognized the signs all too well. She walked with her shoulders hunched, her posture betraying a world of hurt. It was a reflection of his own early years, when he too had been an abused child, struggling to navigate the darkness of his new existence.
The girl's skin was nearly translucent, a testament to her prolonged hunger and neglect. Her maker, a man who seemed to loom over her like a dark cloud, dragged her toward a dilapidated warehouse, the very air around them thick with despair. Eric felt a surge of anger. He couldn't just stand by and watch this unfold. Without a moment's hesitation, he took to the night sky, landing softly on the roof of the warehouse. Peering through the broken planks, he knew what awaited her, and the thought alone churned his insides. He made enough noise to catch their attention.
The girl looked up, her eyes widening in relief, while her maker's annoyance was palpable. "Hello," the man greeted, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I am Alain." He was of Eric's age, but the lack of weariness on his face revealed a life devoid of the struggle that had forged Eric into the vampire he had become. Eric nodded in acknowledgment, a silent observer now settling into the shadows.
Hours passed in silence, the tension in the air thickening until Alain finally commanded his child to fetch him food. It was clear that the only lesson he had imparted to her was how to glamour a human into submission. Eric waited patiently, his resolve firm until he took to the sky again, seeking the girl. He found her on the street, her glamour working flawlessly as she approached a human unsuspectingly. "Feed," he ordered, stepping up behind her.
The girl flinched, fear evident in her trembling voice. "He will know."
"No, he will not," Eric replied, pulling out one of the medallions. "Not with this." He pressed the orb into her palm, instructing her to push her thumb down until it turned blue. Driven by desperation to escape her current hell, she followed his command, gasping as the medallion pricked her skin. The orb filled with her blood, and as the color changed, Eric felt a flicker of hope. Perhaps Fintan's medallions held power after all.
As she fed, Eric watched but soon realized the girl was losing control. With swift action, he pulled her away, healing the wound before it could cause irreversible damage. "What is your name?" he inquired, meeting her wide, frightened eyes.
"Judith."
"Judith, you must not kill unless it is absolutely necessary. That necessity arises only when your very existence is at stake." She nodded, understanding the gravity of his words. "Your maker can no longer feel you… you sense that, don't you?" Another nod. "You could run, but he will find you eventually…"
"Will you kill him?" she asked her voice barely a whisper but filled with an urgency that struck a chord within him.
"Makers like him are always sure to command their children not to attempt to kill them, nor to get anyone else to do so. It seems Alain underestimated you."
"Kill him," she said, a newfound resolve shining in her eyes.
"Yes," he confirmed, feeling a shift within her. Something had ignited.
"Wait here." She obeyed, pressing herself against the wall, her breath steadying as she waited. Only moments later, Alain's silhouette appeared at the entrance to the alleyway, his posture radiating anger when he vamped over. "What is the meaning of this?" he snapped, but his words were cut short as Eric's broadsword swung through the air, severing his head from his body.
The finality of Alain's hung in the air, and Eric turned to Judith, expecting her to react, but she remained still, the magic of the medallion still pulsing between them. "I am heading for Africa. You're welcome to join me," he offered. Under normal circumstances, she would have been a burden, but not today. She had unwittingly helped him, and he knew she would not survive long on her own; Alain had ensured she lacked any semblance of survival skills. She agreed without hesitation, relief flooding her features as she realized she would not have to face the night alone.
Their journey took them to Egypt, where Judith, now his companion, began to grow into her own strength. Nearly a century passed, and she thrived under his guidance, eventually choosing to return to Europe, where she transformed into Sophie-Anne, and later, the queen of Louisiana. When they reunited, she sought him out to be her Sheriff, a role he accepted without reservation.
Years later, Sookie Stackhouse sat in a car with Eric, nerves wracking her as they approached the palace. The last time she had visited, Sophie-Anne was still reigning, and the atmosphere though still fraught with tension, was of a different kind. Memories of laughter echoed in her mind, but now the stakes felt higher.
"I know it's difficult being here again, but remember why we're here," Eric said, his tone reassuring. "We lost two of our family because of them. They desperately want you, and I have ensured you will be treated with the respect you deserve."
"I know, but the last time I was here…" Her voice trailed off, the weight of unspoken fears hanging between them. Eric, who had frequented the palace since Sophie-Anne's true death, could see the tension within her.
"I hadn't considered that," he murmured, a hint of regret.
"I will be okay. I just have to focus on the end result." She took a deep breath, settling her nerves as they entered the palace.
As they navigated the hallways, Sookie noticed the stark changes to the décor. Sophie-Anne's flamboyant style had been replaced with a minimalist approach, reflecting more of Victor than Felipe. Eric explained that the new decor was more aligned with Victor's preferences, while Felipe favored the extravagant.
"Sheriff Northman for the king," the guard announced, and they were ushered into a private chamber.
"Ah, Sheriff, a pleasure to see you," Felipe greeted, his tone dripping with sincerity. Sookie felt a shiver run down her spine. "Miss Stackhouse, it's a pleasure to meet you finally. I made a mistake in sending Compton…"
"You didn't," Sookie replied quickly, cutting him off. "You had no idea he was going to betray you. I questioned him about that night on the way from Fangtasia. I sensed he was hiding something, but I had no idea it was that severe."
"None of us did," Victor interjected, his voice low and dangerous.
"It's been dealt with, or at least Compton has. We still need to ascertain if anyone else in my retinue was involved," Felipe continued.
"Yes, I understand," Sookie said, her demeanor shifting as she tried to maintain control.
"Excellent. How does this work?" Felipe asked, eager to see her abilities in action.
"I can demonstrate, but the humans cannot repeat what they see. It's best if no one knows what I can do, as I can't read a glamoured human," Sookie lied, her voice steady.
"Interesting," Felipe murmured, picking up the phone and calling for someone named Sebastian. "Sebastian is to be my child, but with everything going on, we must delay his turning, I'm afraid," Sookie realized how important Sebastian was to Felipe.
When Sebastian arrived, Sookie couldn't help but notice his striking good looks. "Sebastian, this is Miss Stackhouse," Felipe introduced.
"Oh, the telepath," he said excitedly. "What am I thinking?" His enthusiasm was palpable, and Sookie couldn't resist a smile.
"Your name is Sebastian. You are happy you can drop your last name because it's not yours, and you can take a name you like after you are turned. Now, a lot of 'oh my god,'" she laughed, matching his energy.
"Wow," he whispered, clearly impressed.
"Sebastian, why don't you show Miss Stackhouse around? Miss Stackhouse, see what you can hear," Felipe instructed.
As they walked away, Felipe called for Eric, who had stepped aside. "I know you're not keen on tying yourself to a human, but it has to be done soon."
This was precisely what Eric had been anticipating, the opportunity to solidify his position.
"It will be done," Eric responded, his tone flat, revealing no enthusiasm.
Later that night, Sookie and Sebastian crossed paths again. He was comfortable moving through the palace while Sookie pretended fatigue overwhelmed her when he tried engaging her in conversion.
Back in their suite, an unexpected opportunity arose. As they brainstormed their next move, Victor practically offered himself to them. "Are you sure it's Victor?" Eric asked, skeptical.
"Yes, I'm certain. I also saw him while getting ice," Sookie smiled confidently.
"Sookie, I don't know…"
"I spent an hour with him; I could have heard anything. As far as Victor is concerned, this is what I heard. What could be better than this? Unless you have a better idea," she challenged, her eyes sparkling with determination.
"Okay," he relented, unable to resist her enthusiasm.
"Can he hear us?" Sookie wondered aloud, momentarily forgetting vampire hearing.
"Yes. Vampire hearing," Eric reminded her, removing the crystal by the door that allowed privacy.
Victor knew he was risking a lot by approaching Eric and Sookie, especially given the girl's visible discomfort around him. But Felipe had ordered him to ensure Eric had given Sookie his blood.
"So… Sebastian," Sookie began, trying to regain control of the conversation.
"He will be Felipe's first child. Felipe has never really considered becoming a maker until Sebastian came along," Eric chimed in.
"You said he had Victor…" Sookie's voice faltered.
"Sookie, why is that a concern?" Eric pressed, sensing the tension in the air.
"I won't say anything. I didn't know you knew," she replied, her voice trembling.
"Knew what?" Eric growled, his patience wearing thin.
"That Felipe was planning to get rid of Victor," Sookie admitted, the weight of her revelation crashing down on Victor.
Eric's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing. "Sookie, what do you mean Felipe is planning to get rid of Victor? Where did you get this?"
"Sebastian," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Son of a bitch… has Felipe lost his mind?" Eric's frustration boiled over.
"You didn't know," Sookie said, realization dawning on her.
"No. Oh, I see… you thought I knew because I said 'had.' I meant nothing by it. Victor is the brains behind Felipe's operation. Felipe's success hinges on Victor. Felipe is the monarch because of him. Even when I didn't like him, I respected him. Felipe is a fool… this is not good. Why would he even think that?" Eric ranted, pacing as he processed the implications.
"Because of you," Sookie said innocently, her eyes wide.
"I'm sorry, what?" Eric stopped in his tracks.
"Felipe believes you are loyal beyond question. He thinks you will do a much better job than Victor. After you exposed Bill and brought me in, despite everything he had done…"
"This is bad," Eric muttered. "He cannot get rid of Victor. It's a disaster waiting to happen. Felipe has to understand the number of people who tolerate him as monarch simply because of Victor Madden. Get rid of Victor, and he will follow. I will not meet my true death because Felipe has taken leave of his senses."
"Then tell Victor," Sookie suggested, her voice steady.
Eric chuckled, shaking his head. "Victor has been with Felipe for decades. Do you think he would believe me? The vampire he has been at odds with until recently?"
"I see," Sookie whispered, the realization settling in.
"Just when things are beginning to settle down, Felipe plans this foolishness. It's like he thrives on conflict to feel alive…" A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
Both Sookie and Eric exchanged a knowing smile, anticipating who it was. Eric swung the door open to find Victor standing there, his expression a mixture of fury and concern. "Don't tell me… he sent you to check that you've given Sookie your blood," Eric growled.
Ignoring Eric, Victor turned to Sookie. "What exactly were Sebastian's thoughts?"
Eric shifted his attention to Victor. "I heard it all," Victor admitted, his tone serious.
"He would be much happier when you were gone, and Eric and I would take your place. He loved the idea of us being around Felipe. He believed his turning hadn't happened because Felipe fears you will use that as an opportunity to take over his states."
"I suspected there was more to him waiting to turn Sebastian than the betrayal of Compton. Now I know," Victor murmured, his mind racing.
"What are you going to do?" Eric asked, the weight of the moment settling between them.
"The right thing to do is leave, but we both know Felipe won't let me walk away. If I leave without his knowledge, he will hunt me down for fear I am planning to overthrow him. My best chance is to stay and fight." Victor's words hung in the air, a heavy cloud of uncertainty.
"I believe you are right," Eric said, his voice low but determined.
"Do I have your support?" Victor asked, his gaze piercing through Eric.
That was the question Eric had been hoping for; the question that would pave the way for Victor's demise.